Abstract:Topography attributes are the most important factors in controlling the initiation, evolution, distribution and damage of the gravity erosions triggered by rainfall. Based on the existing references and survey data, the revised increase-rate-analysis method, Arc GIS and Remote Sensing were used to evaluate the sensitivity of the gravity erosion to the topography factors in the Baota District, Yan'an City. The results showed that:(1) The slope gradient was the most important influential variable. The total amount of the gravity erosion, the amount of landslide and the amount of avalanche were all positively correlated with the gradients and their sensitivity parameters on the slopes were 60.5, 1 616.6 and 89.3, respectively. (2) For the total amount of gravity erosion and the amount of landslide, the distance to streams and the altitude were the second important factors. For the amount of avalanche, the vegetation cover and slope curvature were the second important factors. (3) The small-scale and medium-scale gravity erosion occurred frequently, and the large-scale gravity erosion had a low occurrence frequency, but the large-scale gravity erosion contributed more to the total amount of the gravity erosion. Among them, the events of large-scale gravity erosions with the amount greater than 100×104 m3 only contributed 13% to the total frequency. Nevertheless, the contribution of the large-scale gravity erosions was up to 57% to the total amount of the failure masses. The results would provide a scientific basis for soil conservation and ecology restoration on the Loess Plateau, China.